Private Echizen Washi Paper Making Experience and Walking Tour

• • Hoyu NishiyamaSOE Tour Guide

    “I love Fukui's mountains, hot springs, people, and sake.
    Born in Gunma Prefecture in 1989.After working as a caregiver, she moved to Sabae City when she got married. She also belongs to the "RENEW" secretariat.

Tour Points

• 01
  Many surprises await for you in town
  Giant torii gates, wooden architecture, and the sights of everyday life
• 02
  First, a visit to the Yanase Ryozo Paper Mill, where small washi paper is made
  Here you'll see a unique kind of washi paper found only in Echizen
  Experience making rakusui paper and touring the workshop
• 03
  You'll pass down old streets still carrying the scent of washi paper
  Visit the Yanase Paper Mill's workshop where large paper is handmade
• 04
  It is hard to believe that they are made by hand
  Huge sheets of Japanese paper with various textures are lined up
• 05
  To wrap up the trip,
  A visit to Otaki Shrine and Okamoto Shrine, where the god of paper is enshrined
  The area has a calm and soothing atmosphere.
• 06
  The intricate roof and carvings are masterpieces
  An important place related to the history of Echizen washi

About Tour

• Highlights
• Tour Contents
• Details

• Highlights

  
  Imadate is a town of Echizen Japanese paper with a history of 1500 years. It is said that Echizen washi originated long ago when a goddess came down from the mountains and taught the villagers how to make Japanese paper.

   

  On this tour, you will walk around the town of Imadate and visit two washi paper-making workshops: Yanase Ryozo Paper Mill and Yanase Washi.

  

  At Ryozo Yanase Paper Mill, traditional craftswoman Ms. Kyoko Yanase and her family have been making washi for generations. Ryozo Yanase is a Japanese paper making workshop that mainly produces wrapping paper used in Japanese confectionery shops. In order to spread the knowledge about Echizen washi, Yanase Ryozo Paper Mill helps guests experience making washi paper themselves, and shows them around the workshop.

  

  Yanase Washi is a washi paper making workshop that mainly produces plain sliding door paper such as Hontorinoko paper, as well as sliding door paper with patterns such as Kumohada. In addition to building materials such as thin, diversely patterned shoji paper and wallpaper to suit modern homes, they also offer interior accessories such as art panels made from washi paper that can blend in even in rooms that do not have a Japanese-style room. While they specialize in producing large-format washi paper, they also produce original products such as washi interior accessories and art panels. In addition to seeing the washi production site, the tour also allows you to see washi accessories made with Yanase Washi in the shop on the premises.

  

• Tour Contents

  

  The large torii gate at the entrance of Imadate is an eye-catching photo spot. One of the pleasures of the tour is finding your own favorite points while walking around the city, such as the historic townscape or the mountains covered with fog on rainy days.

  

  First, we will guide you to the Yanase Ryozo Paper Mill, a Japanese paper making workshop. The small workshop produces hand-made Japanese paper called kogami, which is also used for wrapping Japanese sweets. During the tour, you can see the molds used in the technique called rakusui paper at the workshop, and experience making Japanese paper with the rakusui technique. (Depending on the day, we may not be able to tour the workshop, and in that case we may use a video to explain the usual state of affairs.)

  

  After the papermaking experience, let's take a look at the Echizen washi specialty shop "RYOZO" attached to the workshop. RYOZO has a variety of washi accessories from the washi papermaking workshops in the production area in addition to its own products. If there is something you are interested in, You can ask Ms. Yanase what workshop it was made in.

  

  After visiting the Yanase Ryozo Paper Mill, we will walk to Yanase Washi. The retro workshop, which evokes a sense of time, is the workplace of artisans who have been making washi paper for generations. In the workshop, you can hear directly from the artisans about the raw materials used in washi paper, the functions of the machines, and the various methods used to make washi paper.

  

  After the tour, we went to the attached shop. In contrast to the workshop where large sheets of washi paper are made, there is a lineup of washi accessories that you will want to use in your daily life. Also, Harukami "cobble" is made by carefully making Echizen washi paper one sheet at a time and turning it into a sturdy and soft-textured washi box. Cobble means "stone" in Swedish. The design is eye-catching with its natural and softly rounded shape, like a pebble rolling on a riverbank.You might find something you're looking for.

  

  After leaving Yanase Washi, we walked to our next destination.
  Our last visit is to Okamoto Shrine and Otaki Shrine. Kawakami Gozen, the goddess who is said to have taught the people of Echizen how to make washi and is considered Japan's only washi god, is enshrined here. The shrine has a complex four-tiered cypress roof and has been designated as a national important cultural property.

  That's it for the tour. At the end, we will take a commemorative photo.

  Travel to Imadate, the town watched over by the god of Japanese paper, and experience the techniques and thoughts of craftsmen. Why don't you give the production area of ​​Echizen washi a visit?

  

• Details

  • Tour Details

    code:CIT1002
    Time required: about 3 hours
    Minimum number of participants: 2 people
    Maximum number of people: 4 people
    Tour conductor: Yes. A local guide will guide you.

  • Meeting place

    Meeting place	Udatsu Paper & Craft Museum 915-0232 9-21-2 Shinzaikecho, Echizen City, Fukui Prefecture
    Access	by car About 10 minutes by car from Hokuriku Expressway Takefu Interchange By Train 25 minutes by bus from Takefu Station
    Parking	Available

    View on Google map

  • Scheduled date

    Weekdays (Monday to Friday)
    ・Morning session 9:30~
    ・Afternoon 14:00~

    This tour is on a request basis.
    After confirming the purchase, we will ask you about 3 possible dates and make adjustments.

  • Course content

    1) Meet at Echizen Washi no Sato Udatsu Craft Center
    2) Tour orientation
    3) Walk to Yanase Ryozo Paper Mill
    4) Yanase Ryozo Paper Factory Tour & Washi Making Experience
    5) Shop tour of Ryozo Yanase Paper Mill
    6) Walk to Yanase Washi while enjoying the townscape
    7) Yanase Washi Paper Workshop Tour
    8) Visit to Yanase Washi shop
    9) Visit Okamoto Shrine and Otaki Shrine

  • Included

    ・Okamoto Shrine/Otaki Shrine Goshuin Stamp (including donation fee)
    ・Factory tour fee
    ・Workshop experience fee
    ・Guide fee
    　*Transportation is not included.

  • Cancellation Policy

    ・Cancellation 10 to 8 days before the tour date: 20% of the tour price
    ・Cancellation 7 to 2 days before the tour date: 30% of the tour price
    ・Cancellation on the day before the tour: 40% of the tour price
    ・Cancellation on the day: 50% of the tour price
    ・No contact or cancellation after the tour has started: 100% of the tour fee
    　* If it becomes difficult to participate on the day before or on the day of the experience, please contact the following experience directly.
    　　Contact: Craft Invitation by SOE TEL 0778-78-9967

  • Points to note

    ・We may guide you together with people from other groups.
    ・Yanase Ryozo Paper Mill may not be able to tour the workshop depending on the day, and in that case, we may use a video to explain the usual state of affairs.
    ・Because the factory is run by a small number of people, not all papermaking processes are performed every day.
    ・Please note that the paper-making studio you visit may change depending on the studio's business hours.
    ・There is no air conditioning in the factory. Summer is hot, so please bring a towel, etc., and winter is cold, so please come in warm clothes. ・Some parts of the factory are slippery due to wet conditions. Please refrain from wearing high-heeled shoes, sandals, or platform shoes.
    ・Smoking is prohibited on the factory premises.
    ・Photography is allowed, but commercial use is prohibited.
    ・Children under the age of 6 and children under the age of 12 who are not accompanied by a guardian should refrain from visiting the factory.
    ・If you touch any machines without permission, you may be injured. Please act according to the staff's instructions.
    ・We are not responsible for any accidents, injuries, etc. in the factory caused by the customer.
    ・On the day of the event, please wear shoes that are easy to walk in and clothes that are easy to move in.

  • Contact Us

    Craft Invitation by SOE
    Tel: 0778-78-9967
    Email: welcome@soe.or.jp